How many coats of Tru-Oil?

[jtmattison]

Of those that use Tru-Oil, how many coats do you apply to a new stock on average?
Also, do you choose to leave it glossy or do you buff it with steel wool to give it a matte finish?

HD

 

[Roy]

Hate to be random, but enough untill it gives it a few solid coats. Depends a lot on what type of wood your finishing too. I tend to put on very light coats, sometimes its as little as six or seven, or as many a 14+. As far as the glossy finish it depends on what you want.

 

[rabjr]

If I remember right Roy put 14 coats on my Thunder'er and to me it's perfect, wouldn't have it any other way. And I'm usually a matte finish type.

 

[Bill Bounds]

Hi:
I like to rub the last coat with rottenstone for a satin finish. I use a cloth pad and olive oil for lubricant. works pretty good for me.
Bill

 

[cptleo1]

12-20

 

Huntin' Dawg, I use about 4 coats of LMF sealer following the directions on the can and then about three coats or so of Tru-Oil on top of that. Whether I rub it back to matt or leave it shiny depends on how I want that particular rifle/gun to look. The rifles that traditionally had a heavy varnish look I leave shiny. Just my way of doing it.

 

[Zonie]

8-16 coats.

After the 5th coat I lightly sand off the little high points that come from dust etc in the air using 600 or 1200 grit wet/dry sandpaper.
This sanding is only to remove the high points and leaves most of the built up surface material.
Following this light sanding I will build up 2-3 more coats before resanding.

Depending on the finish I want I will either lightly sand it and then rub it out using Birchwood Casey Stock Sheen and
Conditioner for a satin look or I will rub it out with Wright's Silver Polish for a high gloss mirror finish.
I personally don't like dull finishes on my guns as I feel they hide the beauty of the wood grain.

zonie

 

[gmww]

I'm currently typing with sticky fingers from hand rubbing the stuff on. I'm working on my latest font forend stock. I've just finished coat three. I have gone with 5-8 coats in the past. I was hoping to get away with three this time but I'll probably go with 5-8 again. I've used steel wool in the past between coats.

 

[Roy]

not the best stuff in the world, but W-D 40 will take it off your hands...

 

[jtmattison]

I just put the fifth coat on. I have been buffing with 0000 steel wool between coats.
When I built my GPR I used six coats and didn't buff with steel wool between coats.
I like the way this stock is looking. I think I'll stop at about seven or eight coats and leave it glossy.
This T/C has real perty wood.

HD

 

[paulvallandigham]

Have to go with Roy, and Zonie: I put on enough coats to get a good even finish. I don't use steel wool because I hang my stocks in a closet in a spare room where there is nothing to stir dust. I have been lucky with the last couple of stocks that way. The last stock was a hard piece of maple, and I stopped at 7 coats. It still looks good. I have done many more coats, and I like to put on as thin a coat as I can as I build the finish.

I found that if you use dry CLEAN fingers to run through the last coat about 15 minutes after you put it on, you can get a satin sheen that is hard to beat. You rub the finish just enough to break the surface of the oil, and, since it has set up and is partial dry, it dries that way. I have seen rottenstone used, using a rag with oil in it to hold onto the rottenstone, and the finish you get is outstanding. If I ever find a supply of rottenstone in some shop, I will buy it, and perhaps save me several coats of finish on the next stocks I do.

 

[gmww]

not the best stuff in the world, but W-D 40 will take it off your hands...

Really! Cool. I've been using mineral oil which takes it off pretty good too. Coat four just went on.

 

[roundball]

I've refinished a half dozen TC stocks I guess...have them stripped in a chemical booth at an antigue furniture place, then I apply about 6 or 7 light coats rubbed in with scraps of old washcloths, waiting a couple days between each coat, and using 0000 steel wool lightly each time.

The ones I've come to like best are basically just enough Tru-Oil to bring out the figure and seal the wood...and I leave it in a matte finish.
From then on I just keep wiping it down with a heavily oiled rag after every use...looks a little more natural or rustic to me.

PS: The best thing since sliced bread for stock refinishing is a box of disposable vinyl gloves.

 

[jtmattison]

Coat six just went on. I'm not going to use steel wool for the next couple coats. This stock really looks good with the high shine. I just better make sure I hunt in the shade so the glare doesn't spook any critters.

HD

 

[Zonie]

"...The best thing since sliced bread for stock refinishing is a box of disposable vinyl gloves. "
---------------
Yupper! Those things work great not only for applying finishes, but if your browning/bluing metal parts, they keep your oily finger prints off of the metal.

The thing I like best about them is the sad eyed expression on the casheers face when I buy a big box of them at the local Drug Store.
I know he/she is thinking, "Oh, you poor man!" :grin:

zonie

 

[mudd turtle]

What is rottenstone and where can I get it? mudd turtle.

 

[gmww]

Coat five is on and I'll do coat six in the morning.

 

[Zonie]

rottenstone is a powdered rock used as an abrasive.
It is ground very fine and is rather soft and (usually) used with oil to polish soft metals and finishes applied to wood.
Here's a link:
ROTTENSTONE

You can usually find it at woodworking stores or on the net by entering "rottenstone" into GOOGLE.
One place listed in GOOGLE wanted $6.50 for a pound of it and I can assure you that one pound of this stuff will last the average gunbuilder not less than 78 years.

zonie

 

[gmww]

I did this one a little different. I went with strait coats ever 2 hrs. or so and only used the steel wool after coat 5. I decided to stop now that coat six is dry. Looks pretty good and feel thick enough. :thumbsup:

 

[jtmattison]

Coat seven went on mine this morning with no steel wool buff in between. I think I'll put number eight on this afternoon and stop there. I'm getting anxious to shoot it.

HD